Applicator



Oct. 26,1948. R. H;-vAN SANT 2,452,273

' APPLICATOR Filed Allg. 20, 1945 Zay-1 2193 Inrfezzor Patented Oct. 26, 1948 APPLICATOR Robert H., Van Sant, Alexandria, Ya.

Application August 20, 1945, Serial No,.611,475

(CL, 12S-2,72)

14 claims. l.

This invention relates to applicators for medicinal and similar liquids, having for its object to provide a completely sealed unit package cona taining ay specified quantity of such liquid, and adapted byits construction to provide a readi7 and eilicient means for `applying the specified.

quantity asa dosage to the parts of the human body-to be treated.

With these and other objects in View, which will become apparent as the following description and drawings are studied, the invention resides inthe novel` details of construction and. combina,- tions ofparts as will be disclosed more fully here,-` inafterand particularly pointed out by they claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, forniing a part of this specification and in whichlike numeralsl designate like parts in all the views-f- Eigs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and5 illustrate diagrammatically transverse horizontal sectional views of contemplated forms of containers constituting theapplicator ci this invention;

l's'igs` 6, 7, 8 and 9 illustrate diagrammatically Vertical se-ctional views of the lower portions of contemplated forms of containers;

`Figs. l0, 11, 12 and 13 illustrate diagrammatically -vertical sectional views of the upper por tions of contemplated forms of containers; and

Figs. lland 15 illustrate diagrammaticallyverticalsectio'nal views of two major types of applicatfor4 teats adapted to pass the liquid from the container to the human body,

The container may be made of any suitable ma-A terial or "substance, although preferably it is formed from mouldable substanceswhicl'i can be cast readily, while in their fluid phase, andfhence plastics and/ or gelatines are desirable as `not only fulfilling suchcharacteristics but providing reasonably stiff, unyielding and/or readily vmanipulable containers when fully moulded, cured, dried and cooled, etc. The substance may also be selected according to its ability to effect a seal for the container during or at the end of the moulding operation, yet on the other hand and foricertain medicaments it may be desirable to select. a. substance which will premit the mould.- ing of a completely closed -container which may be filled later and sealed through theinstrulnentality of a plug. Such asealed container as contemplated byV this .invention will insure maximum quality of the liquid contents, since there will'ibe no. loss 'by evaporation, nor deterioration, nor contamination. Methods are already knownby oator will be, naturally, inv accordance lw-itlaitlie use for whichthe applicator isintended but, son? erally speaking, the liquid will 'be-sonic med" arnent, tonic, oil, etc., particularlyfbeneicial in ts external application, as. through.gmassaging,5 to the human body. Quite-speciiicallyLit maybea tonic for the hair andgeneral ,treatment scalp. z. Y y

The liquid may be of variableyiscosity, Landthe mechanics of eilectingr a vflowthereofeither hate orally, or by air pressure, aregovernedby the vise cosity. The size ofthe container,also-willbevarf able, though for practical and economic reasons it will be found desirable to formi the container in sizes for single applications and hence the size L will be determinedfpreferablyin accordance with which ysuch a, container may be 'moulded and the dosage or quantity best, suited for asingle `application of the particular liquid or iluid without waste. As one example, it will befoundthat an applicator capableof containing` a liquid-'3101.n urne of 5 cc., and comprising multiplel discharge nipples or teats, will be of a, size which canvbe held easily in the iingers and whichwill afford ready spread of the liquid onto and oyerthe body surface beingtreated.

With particular reference to the drawings, vari'- ous possible shapes of containers arev indicated, wherefore it will be appreciated that the inven# tion is not limited to any particular forni, shape or size, and that numerousmodications maybe formed by appropriate and desirable combina'- tions of top portions and bottom portions. yAccording to Figs. 1 and 2 the containermaybe relag tively unicellular, whereas according to Figs., 3, 4 and 5 it may be relatively multicellular. Inl fact', the container may be substantially spheroidal or tubular, and its cross-sectional shape may -be circular or polygonal, or a combination thereof',v and a unicellular container may have such va crosssectional shape as will permit itto cotwithlone or more similarly and/or complementallyfshaped containers within a single holder iorflgzackage in order to produce an' assembled group ofVindeL pendent cells (containing the' same or'different medicaments) instead of the intercommunicating cells as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. In Figs. 6 and 9 are indicated relatively blunt, rounded, smooth discharge teats particularly adapted fr massaging and/or treating tenderskins, vwhereas in Figs. 7 and 8 are indicated-teats of more angular and sharper characteristics, the latter par` ticularly adapted to reach closer to the base of hairs as when thevapplicator Ais for use in scalp treatments. 1*'

In the drawings, the sectional shapes and/o1 formations are illustrated diagrammatically, the heavy line such as 2 indicating the cut edge or actual cross-section of the container wall, and

sundering of the container, by severing, puncturing or other method of opening, in order to permit discharge of the contained liquid.

That is to say the formation shown in Fig. 14

lends itself to the puncturing method, while the outwardly projecting tip or nipple shown in Fig. 15 may be cut off readily, either entirely or partially, to provide a larger discharge opening as in the case where the applicator contains a relatively'thicker liquid. It is to be understood that the puncturing method provides a small opening for discharging the liquid in relatively small quantities -and/or at slow rates. However, it is further to be understood that with either method of container opening, there is capillary attraction and/r adherence of the liquid to the body surface, which results in a pulling eiect imparted to the liquid which aids in the eXtracl tion (or discharge) of the liquid from the container while in ycontact with the body surface during the use v"of thisapplicator,vwhich extraction is'ag'm'ente'd vasan'd"when the body surface is vwet as inthe case of scalp treatment after shampooing.

It is a feature of this invention to provide positive means for applying the medicament to the body surface in rsuch manner as will give greatest beneilt. This is attained by permitting relatively small quantities of the `liquid to escape, whereby the medicament is controlled so as to cover the maximum surface and is not dumped in spots asis apt to be the case with containers having collapsible or flexible walls which are subject to pressure by the ngers. This control of the rriedicament ilow may be augmented and/or rendered more vpositive by the employment of an air vent capable of being formed in the vtop ofthe container. That is to say, in Figs. 10, 11 and 13 there are indicated top portions of the container which are adapted to be punctured, whereas in Fig. 12 there `is shown a projecting nipple "6 which is to be cut oft in order to provide the air vent. In Fig. 11 theremay be provided an inwardly directed wall recess 5 in the top portion of the container, for facilitating entry of thepuncturing implement.

' In lieu of providing a potential positive air vent in the top portion of the container, one oiy the teats at .the bottom portion maybe made slightly shorter than the others as indicated at 'I in Fig. 8,.where by in the use of the applicator the short teat ordinarily will not contact the body surface. Hence there will be, at least at times, an air gap at the cut discharge opening of the short teat, permitting ingress of air through that teat into the container.

It is-obvious that those skilled in the art may vary the details of construction and arrangements of parts without departing from the spirit of thisinvention, and therefore it is desired not to be limited -to the exact disclosure of this application, except as may be required by the claims. j

What is claimed is:

1. An applicator comprising a rigid cellular structure moulded with a liquid medicament sealed therein, said cellular structure provided with one sunderable portion constituting a discharge for the contained medicament and further provided with another sunderable portion constituting an air inlet.

2. An applicator comprising a unit package with sealed-in liquid medicament, said package having relatively rigid walls and provided at one end with projections which when severed constitute discharges for the contained medicament,

saidpackage provided at the opposite end with severable means for admitting air to the container.

3. An applicator comprising a unit package with sealed-in liquid medicament, said package provided at one end with projections which when severed constitute discharges for the contained medicament,- and another projection shorter than the others which when severed constitutes an air inlet.

4. An applicator comprising a unit package with sealed-in liquid medicament, said package provided at one end'with projections which when severed constitute discharges for the contained medicament, and an air vent disposed amid said projections.

5. An applicator for manipulation upon a body surface, said applicator comprising a rigid unit package with sealed-in medicament, said package provided at one end with an integrally formed teat-like projection having a tip portion which is sunderable to unseal said package, said tip portion being of relatively minute transverse -dlmension so that when sundered and applied to the body surface there is constituted a capillary discharge for the contained medicament, said package provided at the opposite end with an integrally formed seal as well as with another sunderable portion which when sundered constitutes an air inlet to the package.

6. An applicator comprising a plurality of rigid cell-like structures, said structures having an integrally formed vseal whereby to seal a liquid medicament therein, each of said cell-like structures provided with a hollow projection adapted to Contact a body surface during the use of the applicator, the tip of said projection having a sunderable portion of relatively minute transverse dimension which when sundered creates adischarge for the contained medicament under the influence of capillary attraction.

'7. An applicator comprising a plurality of celllike structures, said structures having an integrally formed seal whereby to seal a liquid medicament therein, at least one of said cell-like structures provided with a hollow projection adapted to contact a body surface during the use of the applicator, the tip of said projection being sunderable to create a discharge for the contained medica-ment through said hollow projection, said applicator provided with asunderable portion which when sundered constitutes an air inlet to one of the cell-like structures.

8. An applicator .comprising a plurality of celllike structures having a liquid medicament sealed therein, said cell-like structures provided with hollow projections adapted to contact a body surface during the use of the applicator, the tip of each projection being sunderable to create a discharge for the contained medicament through said hollow projection, and a portion of at least one of said cell-like structures being sunderable to provide an air inlet.

9. An applicator comprising a plurality of celllike structures having a liquid medicament sealed therein, said cell-like structures provided with hollow projections adapted to contact a body surface during the use of the applicator, the tip of each projection being sunderable to create a discharge for the contained medicament through said hollow projection, and a portion of at least one of said cell-like structures being sunderable to provide an air inlet disposed amid said projections.

10. An applicator comprising a plurality of celllike structures having a liquid medicament sealed therein, said cell-like structures provided with h'ollow projections adapted to Contact a body surface during the use of the applicator, the tip of each projection being sunderable to create a discharge for the contained medicament through said hollow projection, and a portion of at least one of said cell-like structures being sunderable to provide an air inlet disposed substantially opposite one of said projections.

11. An applicator comprising a unit package with sealed-in liquid medicament, said package comprising a rigid and unyielding hollow body portion having an outlet projection at one end and forming an integral part thereof, the extremity of said projection having an integrally formed sealed discharge portion of relatively minute transverse dimension which' when sundered permits escape of the contained medicament under the influence of capillary attraction, the opposite end of said body portion having an integrally when sundered permits escape of the contained medicament under the influence of capillary attraction.

13. An applicator for manipulation upon a body surface, said applicator comprising a rigid unit package with' sealed-in medicament, said package provided at one end with -an integrally formed teat-like projection having a tip portion which is sunderable to unseal said package, the opposite end of said package having an integrally formed seal, said tip portion having a relatively minute transverse dimension so that when sundered and applied to the body surface there is constituted a capillary discharge for the contained medicament.

14. An applicator f-or manipulation upon a body surface, said applicator Vcomprising a rigid unit package with sealed-in medicament, said package provided at one end with an integrally formed teat-like projection having a tip portion which' is sunderable to unseal said package, the opposite end of said package having an integrally formed seal, said tip portion having a relatively minute transverse dimension so that when sundered and applied to the body surface there -is constituted a capillary discharge for the contained medicament, said pack-age further provided with another sunderable portion which when sundered constitutes means for admitting air to th'e package.

ROBERT I-I. VAN SANT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 19,219 Smith June 19, 1934 462,990 Oppenheimer Nov. 10, 1891 1,434,531 Cyrenius Nov. 7, 1922 1,595,324 Van Sant Aug. 10, 1926 1,894,115 Murphy Jan. 10, 1933 

